Spring-winding machine and method



May 28, 1929. ROGAN 1,715,046

SPRING WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed June 12, 1928 INVENTOR JL-ATTORNEY Patentedll/lay 28, 1929.

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JOHN J. ROGAN, or anemones, new Yeas; assronon 'IO TROY LAUNDRY MA- CHINERY COMPANY, 1nd, on NEW YORK, n. 2., A. oonronarron on DELAWARE.

SPRING-WINDING MAGHINE AND METHOD. 7

Application filed June 12,

This invention relates to springs and in particular to methods and apparatus for manufacturing convoluted springs of any desired shape.

The invention is in the nature or" an improvement on the method and apparatus disclosed in the copending application of Arthur H. Adams, Serial #284,? 22 filed June 12, 1928. As set forth in said application it has been found that skewed convoluted springs form a desirable basis for the construction of resilient surfaces such as are used in laundry pressersandironingmachinesorthelike. The specification of said application describes a method of winding such a spring by carrying a supply of spring wire continuously around what may be termed a pin block, which block carries a set of winding pins spaced according to the desired shape and degree of slant of the spring convolutions. For example, it it is desired to wind a triangular skewed spring, the block is provided with three pins spaced atdetiniteintervals, and the wire is given what may be termed an overbend around each pin in succession, this overbend being of such magnitude as to give the wire the desired set when the same is released. For'this purpose each winding pin is adapted during a definite portion of each revolution of the wire supply to be held in raised position for the bending of the wire therearound, and during another part of the revolution is depressed as not to interfere with the forward movement of the wire. The method of giving this set comprises oscillating the wire to and from the overbend position around each pin in succe sion. in order that the wire, in the pro of being oscillated baclivmrd and forward around one winding pin, may not be obstructed by succeeding pins, it is necessary ren ovethe succeeding pins out of the path oi the traveling wire.

A In the specification referred to, this moven'icnt ot the pins out of the path of the travelwire ell ected in a substantially vertical direction so that the wire in overbending around a fixed pin clears the top 01" a succeeding pin. T his arrangement has the disadvantage that there might be a chance of the wire catching on the wrong side of the 1110V1I10' pin and thus prevent the proper formation or the spring. Furthermore, in the machine described in the Adams specification, the depres- 1928. Serial No. 284,790.

sion of the pins is eiiected by cam operated levers and an additional oscillating arm or bell-crank is provided to effect the backward and forward movement of the wire during the overbendprocess. In accordance with the present invention, this latter arm is avoided and the pins themselves are enabled to efiect a backward movement of the wire. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of winding a convoluted spring with the convolutions 0t any desired shape by carrying the length of spring wire serially and cyclically around a predetermined numberof pins, each pin adapted to act alternately as a fixed pin for securing the required overbend, while the succeeding pins are being moved in the direction of travel or" the wire.

A further object or" the invention is to provide a machine for winding skewed oonvolut-- ed springs which machine is ofthe general character disclosed in copending application Serial No. 284,722 butwherein the winding pins are moved successively in advance of and in the same direction as the traveling spring wire. v

It is a feature of the invention to provide a convoluted spring winding machine employing a pin block and atraveling wire supply wherein the pin block is provided with a plurality of socalled winding pins about which the wire is given a predetermined angular overbend as a result of the forward movement of the wire, and in which the wire is restored to its normal set position by movement oi a succeeding winding pin.

Another feature of the invention pertains to an improvement on a machine for winding springs as set forth in the specification 're terred to, but wherein the setting or the wire about each winding pin isefi'ected with a substantially less degree of tension in the wire. T his result is effected by holding or clamping the wire at each pin while it is being given a set around a succeeding pin.

A further feature relates to a machine for winding inulti-sided springs of the type wherein the wire is given predetermined angular sets at recurrent points and wherein. this angular setting of the wire is accurately eittected by carrying the wire in a forward movement around a fixed pin, and subsequently moving thewire backward against a die whereby the set of the wire may be accurately maintained during the winding process.

Other features and advantages of the invention not specifically enumerated will be apparent after a consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows in plan view a spring winding machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

2 an elcration view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the machine taken along section line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section showing the machine as itappears in operation, slig itly from the position shown in F 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates a standard having a reduced portion 2 which has attached at the upper end thereof a pin block or carrier 3 comprising downwardly extending carrier arms 4 carrying pivotally connected to the ends thereof at 5, pins 24, 25 and 26. These pins comprise extensions 7 having cam followers 8 cooperating with a track cam 9- joined to a face plate 10 journaled on reduced portion 2 of standard 1. The pins 24, 25 and 26 all move in a series of slots 11 in the top of the pin block 3 and have cooperating there .with when in normal position,,as shown .in

Fig. 4, shaping dies 12. These shaping dies 12 comprise a die portion 13 and a guide portion 14. The guide portion 14 is slidable in a recess 15 in the pin block and is held in an upward position by a compression spring 16. In order to stop the shaping dies in their proper position a pin 17 connected with the shaping block and extending through a slot 18 in the shaping dies guide portion, is provided. The spring presses the shaping die normally up until the lower side of the slot 18 contacts with the stop 17. The back side of the die portion 13 has an inclined cam surface 19. the function of which will be explained more fully hereinafter. Attached to the face plate 10 is a carrier arm 20 which 7 has rotatably mounted at the end thereof a spool of wire and a suitable tensioning device of any type well known to the art (not shown). From this spool a wire 21 leads to the pins where it' is operated on and formed into a spring in the manner disclosed here inafter. Likewise secured to the shoulder 22 of the face plate 10 is drive gear 23 which may be interconnected with any suitable power means.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The-end of the wire 21 is initially secured in any suitable manner to one of the pins 24, 25 and 26, the face plate 10 and carrier arm 20 and -cam.9 started to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1., As the arm rotates it carries with it the wire supply,

thereby causing the wire 21 to advance angularly around the pins supported in the pin block As the wire advances angularly it is wrapped around the pins successively and in order to give the wire, as it is wrapped around the separate pins, a permanent set so that when it is released from the pins, it will assume a certain definite shape, the pins 24, 25 and 26 are adapted successivelyto move inwardly at the proper moment out of the path of travel of thewire so that the said wire will be bent around the pin ahead of the moving pin. The pin after the lapse of a proper time interval moves back to its normal position carrying with it the wire 21,-which wire is forced against the shaping die 12 and given a supplementing shaping bend which aids in producing a spring of the desired shape. It may he found desirable to use the moving pin as a stop to determine the angle of permanent se given to the wire. In this case the movpin would travel only far enough to perthe wire to assume the proper angle This operation is repeated in cyclic fashion thereby producing a continuous length of spring. cated more clearly in Fig. 1, the wire 21 is wrapped around the pin 25, the pin 26 being at the moment moved to an inward position by the cam 9, the wire occupying the position shown in full line in the figure. As the carrier arm continues to rotate, the pin 26 moves back to its normal position against the die portion 13, as indicated in Fig. 4, thus forming the portion of the wire 21 contiguous with the pin and the die, giving it a permanent set. As the carrier advances still further the wire 21 is carried up against the cam portion 19 of the shaping die 12 associated with the pin 24. As the wire strikes the cam face it forces the shaping die downwardly against the action of the spring 16, thus permitting the wire to slide over the top of the shaping die toward the pin 24. However, at the instant that the wire forces the shaping die downwardly the pin 24 is moved inwardly by the action of the cam 9 ahead of the wire, thus permitting the wire to wrap itself at a sharper angle around the pin 26, in a similar manner to that in whichit wraps itself around the pin 25, as indicated in Fig. 1. As the car rier arm advances still further the wire 21 is wrapped around the pin 26 at a sharp enough angle to give. it the required permanent set, whereupon the carrier arm now being in the proper position, the pin 24 is moved back against the shaping die portion 13 under the action of cam 9, thus giving the wire a supplemental permanent set by forcing it into the shaping die in the same manner as described in connection with pin 26. In this connection it will be noted that the winding pins protrude sufficiently far above the block 3 to accommodate a small number of completed turns and that each turn is formed beneatii the preceding turn, thus gradually mit- ..round the preceding pin.

As indi-.

forcing these latter turns off the top of the pins.

Where skewed springs are to be made the.

pins are positioned as described in the Adams .pecification referred to hereinabove, at unequal distances from one another and in order to obtain the proper movement of the pins the extensions thereof, which cooperate with cam 9, are made of different lengths corresponding to the relative position of the pins. Likewise the shapes of the dies 12 are made such as to correspond with the angular positions of the pin so as to bend the turns of wire properly.

It will be understood that the function of the shaping dies 12 is to give the wire 21 a sort of supplemental permanent set at the corners of the spring in order to insure that the spring will have the proper shape when it is removed from the pins. The shaping dies serve to break the back of the wire adjacent the pins and thus prevent any tendency toward bowing out that the wire might have. That is to say, as the wire is drawn around one of the pins, for-example, 25, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the wire is given a permanent set around the pin, but in spite of this permanent set it might be found that the portions between successive pins might be bowed out in some curve. The function of the shaping dies is to reduce any tendency toward such bowing. It is likewise a function of the shaping dies to hold successive turns of the wire against the pins and thereby insure against any harmful effects of the tension of the wire 21 tending to draw the coils of the spring slightly out of place with respect to the pins. The importance ofthis feature will be understood when it is remembered that one of the pins is in an inward position when the wire is being drawn around the preceding pin'in order to give it the permanent set. There is necessarily a certain amount of tension in the wire 21 as it is drawn around the said preceding pin and if it were not for the shaping dies it might be necessary carefully to regulate this tension in order to prevent the coils of the spring already formed, which are now supported by only two pins, from being slipped around the pins, or strained enough to injure them. From this it will be seen that when shaping dies are used greater tension may be applied to the wire 21 and consequently a nicer formation of the angle of permanent set is obtained. However, from another point of view this greater tension is not needed as the shaping dies themselves perform the function of giving a supplemental permanent set or rather of checking the permanent set already given. The use of the shaping dies is optional and they may be dispensed with if desired, as they are not absolutely necessary to the successful formation of the spring.

The cam portion 19 of the shaping dies 12 may be relied upon to force the die clownthrust up and down and the wire 21 flipped back and forth over the tops of the pins. With that type of machine the wire is fed in somewhat jerky fashion and furthermore more moving parts are-required. With the machine constructed in accordance with my invention the wire is moved in a backward direction to the proper position by the pin around which it is to be formed and therefore an extremely accurate angle of set is obtained. The carrier arm 20 and the cam 9 are shown as moving around the pin block and pins but, of course, the carrier arm and cam might be held stationary and the pin block and pins rotated. It would make no difference as long as relative rotation between the. two was obtained. Likewise, the pins are shown as pivotally connected for rotary movement to an inward position.

They might be slidably mounted, however, or

mounted in any equivalent manner.

While I have shown a particular-embodiment of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that various modifications and adaptations such as would occur to one skilled in the art may be made 7 without a departure from the description set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: r

1. In a spring winding machine, a plurality of pins spaced to enclose an area, means for moving awire around said pins successively to enclose said area and means for moving said pins successively toward and away from said wire during the winding operation.

2. In a spring winding machine, a plurality of members, means for moving a wire around said members, means for moving the one of said members with which the said wire is about to contact, in the same direction as the path of travel of said wire to permit said Wire to bend around the preceding member at a greater angle, and subsequently to move said one of said members back to normal position.

3. A spring winding machine according to claim 2, wherein the moved member serves, in its position of greatest displacement, as a stop to limit the travel of the wire so as to deter-.

mine the exact angle of said wire around the aluralit of ins s aced to enclose an area means for moving a wire around said pins to form a closed loop, and separate die means adjacent to each pin for forcing said Wire around said pin.

5. A spring winding machine comprising a plurality of pins spaced to enclose an area, means for moving a wire around said pins to form a closed loop, and means adjacent to each pin for clamping said wire to the pin as the wire is wound therearound.

6. A spring winding machine comprising a plurality of pins movable towards each other, a shaping die for each pin against Which the pin presses when in normal position, means for winding a wire around said pins, and means successively to move the pin with which the wire is about to contact inwardly, to permit the wire to be drawn around the preceding pin to a certain angular position, and then to move the said pin back to its normal position against the coact'ing die.

7. in a spring winding machine, the combination of a vertically reciprocable shaping die and a horizontally movable winding pin, said pin being movable to engage said die.

8. In a spring winding machine, a plurality of members spaced to inclose an area, means for winding a wire successively around said members to form angles and means for preventing displacement of the partially wound wire with respect to said members so that successive angles will bear the proper relationship one to another.

9. In a spring winding machine, a plurality of winding pins, means for moving a length of spring wire around said pins, each of said pins adapted to act durin one part of the movement of said wire as a fixed winding pin, then as an angle determining member and subsequently as a restoring member for the Wire.

10. In a spring winding machine, a plural ity of pins, means for moving a length of spring wire around said pins, means cooperating with said pins to cause each pin to act first as a fixed winding pin about which said wire is given an overbend and then as a restoring member for the wire which is overbent around a preceding pin.

11. In a spring winding machine, a plurality of winding pins, means for moving a length of spring wire around said pins, means for moving one of the pins with which said wire is about to contact in the same direction as the moving wire to permit said wire to be overbent about a preceding pin, means for subsequently moving said one of said pins backwardly against the wire to partially reeach pin.

store the overbent portion thereof, and a i movable die for shaping said wire around 12. The met 10d of winding a multi-sided, convoluted, skewed spring from a length of spring wire, which comprises spacing anumber of winding pins predetermined distances apart, moving said wire around said pins, causing one of said pins to act'as a temporarily fixed pin about which the moving wire is overbent, subsequently moving said pin opposite to the direction of the wire movement.v

' 13. The method of winding multi-sided convoluted spring from a length of spring wire, which comprises spacing at number of winding pins predetermined distances apart, moving said wire around said pins, causing one of said pins to act as a temporarily fixed winding pin about which the moving wire is to be over-bent, movinga succeeding pin in the direction of the moving wire to determine the degree of overbend around said one o1 said pins, and moving the said. succeeding pin backwardly to partially restore the over-bent wire, and repeating the foregoing operation for each of the remaining pins in succession.-

14. The method of winding a inulti-sided convoluted skewed spring from a length of spring wire, which comprises moving said wire in succession around a plurality of winding pins, moving one of said pins in the direction of the moving wire while the wire is being overbent around a preceding temporarily fixed pin, moving the first-mentioned pin backwardly to restore the overbent wire to a predetermined position, causing the firstinentioned pin to become temporarily fixed when said predetermined position is reached whereby said first-mentioned pin may serve as the nexttemporarily fixed winding pin, and repeating the foregoing "for each of the plurality of pins in succession.

15. The method. of winding and forming a inulti-sided convoluted spring, which comprises moving a length of spring Wire around a plurality of spaced Winding pins, shaping said length of wire at predetermined'points throughout its length by moving said pins in a reverse direction to the moving wire to carry said wire against corresponding shaping dies, and subsequently giving said wire predetermined over-bends at said selected points.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this 9th day of June, 1928.

JOHN J. ROGAN 

